In ancient China, black rice was revered and saved for the tastebuds of emperors. In the U.S., just a few short years ago, black rice was an exotic ingredient found only in the most cutting-edge of gourmet food stores. Then, it came to the bins at Whole Foods and now, I understand, to the shelves of Costco.

I don’t care if it is no longer exotic. It is tasty. Black rice tastes nutty, but cooks quicker than brown rice. It contains the antioxidant-rich bran layer like brown rice and possesses anthocyanins – the pigments that make blueberries and beets superfoods. Evidently, the black color makes black rice powerful in warding off heart disease and cancer while strengthening your memory and focus. Black rice also fights inflammation in the body. Inflammation is a source of autoimmune diseases and other chronic conditions.

We had this for Thanksgiving, but you can have it as a carb-rich meal or side dish anytime to support your training. Talk about taking healthy carbs to a new level! You can even serve it cold as a salad.Ingredients

1 cup black rice

2 tbsp coconut oil

2 cloves garlic, chopped

4 scallions – green and white part sliced

2 cups frozen corn

¼ cup lime juice

1 tsp ground cumin

3 or 4 sprigs of fresh thyme leaves (run your fingers along the stem to remove the leaves)

½ cup dried cranberries

Chopped cilantro

½ cup toasted pumpkin seeds

Cover the black rice with 2 cups of water and bring to a boil. Reduce to a simmer and cook for about 30 minutes. Heat up the coconut oil and saute the garlic and scallions. Add the frozen corn until de-thawed and stir in the cooked rice. Pour the juice, cumin and thyme. When everything is heated through, remove from the heat and stir in the cranberries, cilantro and pumpkin seeds.